We need your “voice” on Facebook, Twitter, and on the comments pages of “news” sites.
WingRight.org’s motto is the subject of today’s post. I hope to convince you of the necessity of speaking up in order to “educate” and “edify” (build up and strengthen) our neighbors and fellow citizens. ( We won’t get into the “elect” or pure politics.)
We certainly shouldn’t be silent: the other side sure isn’t. And they won’t go away (or spontaneously come to their senses) if we ignore them.
When I read the mainstream headlines, it’s as though I visit an alternative universe where conservative views are at best misrepresented, and at worst, don’t exist. Conservatives are implicitly – or too often, explicitly – accused of being ill informed, delusional, a “bot,”or the tools of “Faux news” or Rush Limbaugh.
We know better. The opinion pages, supposedly straight new articles, and the comments on each aren’t truthful and certainly don’t reflect the views of the majority of the people I know. We are knowledgeable, do our research, and have drawn our conclusions from the facts and history.
Remember, when you post in public, you’re not just talking to the author of one article or the other commenters: you’re talking to the great majority of readers who *don’t* post. They too may feel alone and isolated, unprepared to advocate, or they are actually the ones who don’t know anything other than what the NYT, CNN, or Saturday Night Live told them. You will probably never know it, but your opinion or information may be the affirmation they needed.
Some practical (and arrogant) advice:
- Assume a pseudonym if you need to.
- Pick a subject or 2 that you feel comfortable “opining” about and act at least once a day.
- Pick just one website to influence, unless you have time to spread out.
- Ask advice from trusted sources when necessary.
- Be as accurate as you can be – at least, don’t lie or exaggerate for effect.
- You might come up with a stock statement that you copy and paste or modify where appropriate. Talking points are an effective tool.
- Ignore tacky responses and personal attacks – don’t be distracted or feel you are obligated to engage and argue if you don’t want to.
- Correct a mistatement, give a reference, or simply state your reasoned, opposing opinion.
Look at the bulk of comments out there, these tactics are the norm, not the exception.
Think of your efforts as a pebble in a pond that creates a series of rings moving out from the center. The rings will expand, affect and intersect with other people’s little waves. You don’t have to make a big splash: even the tiniest pebble will change the surface.
(Comments are closed on the blog. You can respond on my Beverly Nuckols Facebook page.)
WingRight 
Discussion
Comments are closed.